Season Preview 2017 - UCD

Manager: Collie O'Neill

Stadium: UCD Bowl

Players in: Cian Kavanagh (Shamrock Rovers), Evan Osam (Shamrock Rovers), Ben Hanrahan (Cabinteely), Yousef "Yoyo" Mahdy (Limerick).

Players out: Tomás Boyle (Retired), Jack Watson, Adam Harney, Jason Byrne, Kieran 'Marty' Waters (Cabinteely), Mark Langtry, Cathal Brady (Released), Ryan Swan (Exeter City).

Extratime.ie Key Man: Gary O'Neill

UCD's captain and top scorer last season remains with the club this year and, given that the club has lost a lot of experience, his performances and leadership will be vitally important in determining how well they fare this season. As the playmaking midfielder in the team, everything will go through O'Neill and his ability from set pieces will add another strong to the Students' bow. He'll be aiming to reach double figures in the goalscoring charts again this season, but what will be more important is for O'Neill to lead the Students towards a true promotion challenge this season.

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Liam Scales

At the end of July last season, 18-year-old Scales broke into the UCD senior team and ended up starting every single remaining game and scoring two goals by the end of the season. The tall defender played slightly out of position at left back last season, but is likely to play a pivotal role in central defence this year. He has a lot of talent and certainly has a bright future ahead of him. A full season will do him the world of good and he'll certainly be a threat from set pieces too.

How they did last season:

League: 4^th

FAI Cup: Quarter-final (Lost 1-0 v Dundalk)

EA Sports Cup: First Round (Lost 2-0 v Bray Wanderers)

What to expect this season:

UCD begin life in the second tier for a third consecutive season and with a much different approach. This season Collie O'Neill's eldest and most experienced player is 23-year-old goalkeeper Conor O'Donnell. There is a clear shift in strategy by the College this season, as they look to rely upon youth and their own strengths. Whether this actually weakens or strengthens their chances of promotion is certainly worth debating, but it's only eight years ago that UCD won promotion from the First Division largely with a young team of players who would go on to become well known League of Ireland stars.

It's certainly an admirable approach by UCD and is true to their ethos and raison d'etre as a League of Ireland football club. However, the bookies believe UCD are clear third favourites for the title and with only one team having the opportunity to earn the right for promotion this season, and with three Premier Division teams coming down next season, this campaign could become a third missed opportunity for UCD and one they can ill afford to miss.

Nevertheless, UCD are going into the 2017 season with a third year under the management of Collie O'Neill and his staff and that stabilty certainly gives them an advantage. If they can get a good start to the season and find the consistency lacking in the previous two seasons, they'll have an outside chance at promotion.

Title Odds: 9/1

First game: Cabinteely (away), 24^th February 2017 (kick-off 7.45pm).